 |
Tartuffe by Moliere (translated by John
Wood) |
|
Tartuffe by Moliere (translated by John
Wood) |
| When
he wrote Tartuffe in 1667, Moliere had been enjoying the
patronage of Louis XIV. His farces became very popular
because they poked fun at established figures such as
doctors, lawyers and pretentious wives of the rich. With
Tartuffe, however, he ran into trouble because he swiped
at the religious establishment, which was too powerful to
let him get away with it and the play was banned for
several years. In an address to the King about the play
Molliere wrote: 'the duty of comedy being to correct mens'
errors in the course of amusing them, I thought there was
nothing I could do to greater advantage than attack the
vices of the age by depicting them in a ridiculous guise,
hypocrisy being one of the most prevalent and pernicious
among them.' Well, with Tartuffe he certainly succeeded. The action of the play takes place in the Paris home of Orgon, a rich citizen who takes Tartuffe into his home, blinded by the man's assumed piety, giving him total presidency over the rest of his family and household. |
Cast |
|
| Madame Pernelle - Mother of Orgon | Gail Dennis |
| Orgon | Hugh Dower |
| Elmire - Orgon's Wife | Jenny Peachey |
| Mariane - his daughter | Michelle Boryszczuk |
| Valere - in love with Mariane | Nigel Dring |
| Cleante - Orgon's brother-in-law | Richard Cartwright |
| Tartuffe | Tim Bradford |
| Dorine - Mariane's Maid | Noreen Bradford |
| Flipote - Mme Pernelles's maid | Katherine Boyce |
| Mr Loyal - a Tipstaff | Katherine Boyce |
| An Officer | Ian Uprichard |
Crew |
|
| Stage Management | Gail Dennis |
| Lighting and Sound | Jenny Brundle |
| Light Setting | Nigel Dring & Hugh Dower |
| Set Construction | Ian Uprichard |
| Set Decoration | David Broughton & Alan Cutler |
| Upholstery | Gail Dennis |
| Continuity | Pauline Uprichard |
| Poster Design | Michelle Boryszczuk & Ted Warner |
| Box Office | Vicki Makin |
